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| Semester | fall semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Every fall sem. |
| Lecturers | Dragan Ilic (dragan.ilic@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course introduces the basic building blocks of modern economic analysis. Aimed for non-economists, it is a crash course in economic thinking. In the first, shorter part of the course we delve into basic economic concepts such as the modeling the market forces of supply and demand, thinking at the margin, efficiency, comparative advantage in trade, externalities, public goods, and measuring GDP. The second, more mathematical part of the course revolves around microeconomic theory. We will study how consumers and producers, interacting through markets, determine the prices and output of goods and the allocation of productive resources. Consumers and producers are formally modeled as agents with well-defined objectives who make optimal choices in an environment of economic constraints such as income and costs. The price mechanism signals information to consumers and producers alike, coordinating their behavior. This course will contain both lectures and exercise sessions. Course material will be provided through the ADAM webspace. |
| Learning objectives | The course aims to provide students with no economic background with the required foundation in economic analysis and theory for tackling more advanced economic courses. After completing the course, students should be able to think critically about methodological and economic issues. Students should be able to explain and interpret economic phenomena with the language and approach of economic reasoning. |
| Bibliography | Two textbooks provide the foundation for this class: Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok, "Modern Principles of Economics," Third Edition (Worth Publishers, 2016) Jeffrey M. Perloff, "Microeconomics with Calculus," Third (Global) Edition (Pearson Education, 2013) For laypersons, these two books provide an excellent and easy to read introduction into economic thinking and the value of economic modeling: Tim Harford, "The Undercover Economist," (Little, Brown and Company, 2005; various reprints) Dani Rodrik, "Economics Rules," (W.W. Norton & Company, 2016) |
| Comments | This is primarily an on-site lecture, but I will stream all lectures via Zoom and also upload the videos to my Dropbox afterwards. I highly encourage on-site participation, though - at least once a week. |
| Weblink | Weblink |
| Admission requirements | I place high value on intuition, but this course is necessarily technical in nature. I expect you to have a solid background in algebra and be familiar with basic calculus. |
| Course application | Registration: Please enroll in the Online Services (services.unibas.ch); Eucor-Students and mobility students of other Swiss Universities or the FHNW first have to register at the University of Basel BEFORE the start of the course and receive their login data by post (e-mail address of the University of Basel). Processing time up to a week! Detailed information can be found here: https://www.unibas.ch/de/Studium/Mobilitaet.html After successful registration you can enroll for the course in the Online Services (services.unibas.ch). Applies to everyone: Enrolment = Registration for the course and the exam! |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, optional |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| wöchentlich | Friday | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 20.09.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 25.09.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 27.09.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 02.10.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 04.10.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 09.10.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 11.10.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 16.10.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 18.10.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 23.10.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 25.10.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 30.10.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 01.11.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 06.11.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 08.11.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 13.11.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 15.11.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 20.11.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 22.11.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 27.11.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 29.11.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Dies Academicus |
| Wednesday 04.12.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 06.12.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 11.12.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 13.12.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 18.12.2024 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Friday 20.12.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Modules |
Module: Complementary Knowledge in Economics (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) Module: Economic Approaches (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | written exam: tbd |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Business and Economics , studiendekanat-wwz@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Faculty of Business and Economics |